Book V / III
Dhun Atmak Bani
This is the Eternal Sound Current reverberating endlessly in every living thing. It is an Unwritten Law and an Unspoken Language. It is above the ken of elements and the six chakras. It becomes audible, however, when a spirit rises above body-consciousness.
In Guru Granth Sahib, the sacred scriptures of the Sikhs, the Sound Principle is generally referred to as Naam down to Trikuti; and below Daswan Dwar, where the causal region extends, It is called the Trigun Bani, or Sound within the regions of the three gunas. It is also described as Brahm Janjalla, the network of Brahm, the God of creation. This Trigun Bani or Brahm Janjalla is still within the domain of Kal or Dissolution and hence must disintegrate.
Kabir Sahib says:
Japa (oral), Ajapa (soundless) and Anhad (the limitless Sound), all have an end, the Surat when absorbed in Shabd alone escapes.
Guru Amar Das says,
The Bani that is within the three gunas is a great network of the Creator (Brahma); It keeps on talking, reasoning and thinking within the realm of Kal.
Guru Amar Das, Gauri M3
*The Sound Current beyond the reach of Kal is known as Sar Shabd, described as Sachi Bani or True Word, and It alone is the real Life Current or Life Chord capable of linking the spirit or soul with the Oversoul.
The Word of the Master is an Elixir True, oh Nanak! Through the Word, one can cross over.
Guru Nanak, Ramkali M1
The True Word bursts asunder the three-fold egg, oh Nanak! It is the Saviour that saves all.
Guru Nanak, Ramkali M1
* (This section is adjusted to the Fourth Edition of 1981;
Editor’s Note 2011.)
He Himself draws in and absorbs, making the spirit neat and clean, He is Truth, True is His Sound that effects the Union True.
Guru Amar Das, Sri Rag M3
Wonderful indeed is the Bani that unites one with Truth, Nanak saturated in that wondrous wonder, has met the Lord; one gets to It only through great good fortune.
Guru Amar Das, Gujri War M3
He alone meets God whom God so ordains, and in him the True Bani manifests as Shabd, oh Nanak! then one ever sings of the virtues of the True One, and so singing gets truly absorbed in them.
Guru Amar Das, Maru M3
The fearless Donor comes to reside in the mind, and the True Bani descends in the heart of a rare fortunate soul.
Guru Amar Das, Asa M3
The fortunate with a virtuous past alone meets a Master-Soul, and the Word of the Master makes the True Bani manifest.
Guru Amar Das, Asa M3
The elixir of Guru's Bani is delectably sweet, a rare disciple of the Master may taste of It.
Guru Amar Das, Majh M3
The endless Bani may be manifested by a Master. He who listens to It is perpetually blessed, and all comforts come unto him as a pure gift.
Guru Arjan, Suhi M5
Rare souls alone get absorbed in the Bani through the grace of a Master, the Bani of the Lord takes one to the Eternal Home of the Father.
Guru Nanak, Gauri M1
True is the Shabd and True the Bani, a devotee of the Master reaches It, and sings of It in every age.
Guru Amar Das, Asa M3
*This does not mean that whatever the Saints utter by word of mouth has no value and is ineffectual. On the contrary, it means that of all the Varan Atmak words and sounds, these occupy the highest place, for the flow of Their words comes from out of the inexhaustible fund or reservoir at the back of all Fuqra-i-Kamil or Master-Souls, and They speak of nothing but what They actually see and experience in the depth of Their soul. Their words are worth tons of gold and emeralds for the seekers after Truth. They do not speak at the intellectual level, but Their words well out of themselves and are charged with Inner Inspiration, and carry in them the weight of conviction.
* (This section is adjusted to the Fourth Edition of 1981;
Editor’s Note 2011.)
Whatever comes to me from the Father, that do I utter, oh Lalo.
Guru Nanak, Tilang M1
When a Sadh opens his mouth, a veriable nectar-spring burst forth.
Guru Arjan, Gauri War M5
The spirit of the Lord spake by me, and His Word was in my tongue.
King David, 2 Samuel 23:2
Holy men of God spake as They were moved by the Holy Ghost.
2 Peter 2:21
Lowly Nanak speaks out only when he is bidden to do so.
Guru Arjan, Rag Maru M5
The writings of the Saints are wonderful and valuable records of their spiritual experiences and serve the pilgrims as guide-posts on the Path of spirituality.
Except the words of the Master, nothing is up to the mark, all the writings and sayings are verily imperfect, imperfect is the speaker and imperfect will remain the listener as the words come out of the imperfect.
Guru Amar Das, Ramkali M3
Oh ye the disciples of the Master, sing the Naam eternally, for God Himself makes It manifest through a Godman, believe ye the words (Bani) of the Master as really true, it is only God who speaks through the human pole.
Guru Ram Das, Gauri War M4
Blessed is the devotee of the Lord and blessed are the words (Bani) he utters for the good of mankind, he who attends to His discourse in all sincerity, God Himself helps him through.
Guru Ram Das, Gujri M4
The words (Bani) of the Sadh are ambrosial, whoever puts them into practice, reaches the goal and always speaks of the Word.
Guru Arjan, Suhi M5
The words (Bani) of the devotee are pine, he presents the Eternal Truth in varied forms, blessed is such a life, for not only does he attain salvation but many another through him.
Guru Ram Das, Gujri M4
The writings and discourses of the Saints point out to us the True Bani, which is the very life of the creation and grants Nirvana or salvation. It is the actual Truth, the Formless and Absolute, Sehaj Katha (the Perennial Language), Akath Katha (the Unspoken Language). It is the Voice of God, self-flowing Nectar, call It Naam or Shabd, Word, Amrit or Logos, Kalma or Bang-i-Illahi, or Sruti. It is the source and spirit of the creation; It is the very Life and Light, Self-Luminous, shadowless and eternally radiant.
The Word of the Master is a sweet Harmony (Bani) and sings of Hari Naam day and night, the True Lord abides in the core of the heart, a heart like this pure indeed.
Guru Amar Das, Maru M3
Bani or Shabd is verily the Great Truth, oh! love them with all your heart; with the Word or Naam dwelling inside, one is rid of anger and egotism.
Guru Amar Das, Sri Rag M3
Shabd or Bani (pine Music) is the Water of Life (Amrit), and comes to reside in one's soul when one follows the instruction of the Master.
Guru Amar Das, Majh M3
Engage ye in the True Bani, the True Melody and the True Sound, to live always in Truth is fortunate indeed and blessed is the one who does so.
Guru Amar Das, Vadhans M3
The Jnana, the meditation and the Dhun Bani (Inner Music) are all one and describe the Indescribable, the Word (Shabd) speaks of the True One but the Word can be experienced through the Master.
Guru Nanak, Basant M1
Take mercy on me and accept me as Thy bondsman, and snap all my bonds and take me out of the net, let me live always in the sweet remembrance of Thy Word (Naam) or Thy Sound Principle (Bani), Nanak Thy slave would gladly offer himself as a sacrifice unto Thee.
Guru Arjan, Dev Gandhari M5
The untold tale of the Voice of God (Prabh Bani) is the true Water of Life (Amrit); Nanak says: a truly wise man lives in communion with Him (Bani).
Guru Arjan, Bilawal M5
How great His glory and life-giving His Bani (Sound Principle), let His Word (Naam) alone abide in my heart.
Guru Arjan, Gauri M5
Listen ye the blessed one, to the sweet Music of the Amrit Bani (life-giving Sound Principle), he who is so destined, in his heart alone It becomes manifest.
Guru Arjan, Bihagra M5
In the Vedas we have a wonderful account of It. Vak Devi (the pine Voice or Word) says:
All Devas (gods) have their abode in me, and I look after each one of them. I am the efficient and the material cause of the very creation and I am sustaining the same. I am Knowledge and Enlightenment.
Rig Veda, Wak Ambarni Sukat
Again,
I am the Creator of all regions and the demons and I am all-pervading like the Pranas or vital airs in all forms and bodies. I occupy all space and girdle the Universe in the form of ether. In fullness I exist here, there and everywhere, beyond the earth and sky with hosts of solar systems; and by the power of my inherent nature, they have assumed all forms and all colours.
Atharva Veda, Kand 4, Sukat 30
This Vak Devi or Bani is characterized by Dhun or Harmony, for It is Sound Principle, the primal manifestation of the Formless God (Kutastha).
The unstruck self-existing Sound (Anhat Bani) pours forth symphonies from the wondrous throne of God, the Melody of that Sound bewitches me, oh Lord.
Guru Arjan, Gauri M5
Naam, Dhun or Bani is the manifestation of God, so say the Smritis, the Shastras and the Vedas.
Guru Arjan, Gauri M5
What is the signpost of the Abode of God? There springs forth the perennial Harmony.
Beni Ji, Ramkali Beni Ji
It is an Eternal Sound Principle not bound by time and space.
Everything rests in and is sustained by Sound; in the four pisions of time, this Sound Principle was ever heard; Emanating from Truth, It speaks of Truth.
Guru Amar Das, Sri Rag M3
Sterling true is the Word (Sound Principle), Godmen have manifested It in every age.
Guru Amar Das, Asa M3
The True Sound (Bani) has been adored in all the four ages. Everything is from that Truth and there is nothing besides Him.
Guru Amar Das, Gauri Gaureri M3
The True Sound (Bani) has in all the four ages been described as the Water of Life, with great good fortune, one preordained is taken to and rests in the Word (Naam).
Guru Amar Das, Dhanasri M3
I sing of the Lord, should the Lord be so pleased, with the fragrant Word (Naam) and the Sound (Shabd) beating the core of my heart; Gurbani (the Word of the Master) is heard reverberating on all sides, springing right from Truth, It ends in Truth.
Guru Amar Das, Maru M3
Gurbani is Nad, Vedas and still more, and the mind when saturated in It gets fully absorbed, like Sarang in Water.
Guru Amar Das, Ramkali M3
The wondrous Bani is from the Formless One, and nothing outshines the glorious Bani. Its extent and its depth surpass all imagination, for It is Truth Himself and naught else.
Guru Amar Das, Gauri M3
Now the question is, where is this Sound Principle which has been reverberating throughout the four Yugas (pisions of time), and how can It be found out?
Guru Amar Das tells us,
The True Bani (Sound) is reverberating in the body, should the True One so ordain, one can know himself, it is with the knowledge of the Self that the True One becomes known, and Truth manifests Itself.
Guru Amar Das, Suhi M3
Guru Nanak tells us,
The sweet Nectar of Thy Voice (Bani) abides in the heart of Thy devotees.
Guru Nanak, Sri Rag M1
Kabir tells us,
The tuneful trumpet of Thy doorway, sounds in the middle of my forehead.
Kabir, Ramkali Kabir
It is All-Pervading both within and without for there is no place where It is not in Its fullness.
Thy Voice is both within and without, Thou speakest and makest It manifest.
Guru Arjan, Majh M5
The Word of the Master (Gur-ki-Bani) resides in every heart, He Himself manifests It and he does hear It. Whoever communes with It is freed from bondage, and goes to an Everlasting and Eternal region.
Guru Arjan, Maru Soleh M5
The Voice of God springs forth from the Light of God. True devotion, therefore, lies in the worship of the Sound Current, for It links man with God.
Paltu Sahib says,
In the inverted well of the head there burns a lamp, the lamp burns, but without any wick or oil. Through six seasons and twelve months it burns night and day, but none may himself see the Light, except with the Master's Grace. A Voice springs forth from within the lamp's flame, in the stillness of the soul, one may hear the Voice, oh Paltu! Blessed is the one that hears this Voice, for in the inverted well of the head, there burns a lamp.
Paltu Sahib
The disenchanted mind is freed from illusions, when it gets disciplined through communion with Shabd; from Heaven's Light within, there spring forth Harmony, which keeps one absorbed in the True One.
Guru Nanak, Sorath M1
The famous Decalogue or Ten Commandments that constitute the core of Mosaic Law was delivered to Moses in the midst of thunder and flame. The very creation lives by the Power of Naam or the Light and Sound of God.
Oh! The one life within us and abroad, which meets all motions and becomes its soul, a light in sound, a sound-like power in light, rhythm is all thought, and joyance everywhere.
S.T. Coleridge
Saints tell us that the Sound Current is reverberating within Sukhman, the central channel between Ida and Pingla, the two side nerves in the middle of the forehead.
The True Voice of the Master adept, is heard in the Sukhman with mind at rest.
Guru Amar Das, Dhanasri M3
It resides in each one of us, but only a Saint or a Master-Soul can make It manifest to us:
Wonderful is the Voice of the perfect Master, manifested by the Master, It merges one in Truth.
Guru Amar Das, Dhanasri M3
By Practice of the True Word (Sachi Bani), one is rid of all pains, sorrows and afflictions, the devotees are ever in bliss through the favor of the perfect Master.
Guru Amar Das, Ramkali M3
Through the instructions of the Master, the Bani is made manifest within, the True Word (Sachi Bani) sings the glory of God.
Guru Nanak, Gauri M1
Ambrosial is the Bani of the perfect Master, in His mercy, he may make It manifest within, no more doth one remain in the gyres, but gets eternal peace and rest.
Guru Arjan, Ram War M5
When one gets It, he knows of It, without true Jnana, one knows naught, Master's Gift ever abides in the heart, Bani then remains eternally manifested.
Guru Amar Das, Maru M3
The Voice of God (Bani) arises from and leads back unto Him, His untold tale can be listened to in the Word made manifest by the Master.
Guru Amar Das, Gauri Gaureri M3
One can know of the Voice of God through the Grace of a perfect Master. It comes as a pure Gift from the Master, and we cannot have It by any other means. Truly speaking, Guru is Word Personified, and each revels in abundance in the other. Guru Arjan addressed his Guru, Glorious art Thou with Thy melodious Harmony.
The Word is the Master and the Master the Word (Bani) personified. In the Word lies the Pool of Nectar (Amritsar); the devotee of the Master practices the Word, and the living Master rescues Him.
Guru Ram Das, Nut M4
The above is clearly borne out by Bhai Gurdas when he says,
The Vedas and the scriptures are but handy aids to the Master, the Way to true salvation lies in His hands; and Unless the Guru appears, one cannot see God.
Bhai Gurdas, 1:17
In Guru Granth Sahib, It is spoken of as Gupti Bani or the Hidden Voice, the Anhad Bani or the Limitless Voice, the Aghur Bani or the unspoken (unmanifest) Word.
The Hidden Voice becomes manifest. Oh Nanak! only the True One knows of It.
Guru Nanak, Ramkali M1
Limitless is the treasure of Sound, Godman holds the key to the Sound.
Guru Arjan, Ramkali M5
With a true love for the Lord, the unmanifest Word becomes manifest.
Guru Nanak, Ramkali M1